Method for controlling a temperature of a battery cell

Abstract

A method for controlling a temperature of a battery cell (22, 24) in a battery module (20), the method comprising the steps of: determining an initial temperature of the battery cell (22, 24); measuring a current (I) flowing into or out of the battery cell (22, 24); determining an actual temperature gradient of the battery cell (22, 24) using a thermal battery cell model described by a differential equation, for which input values comprise at least the determined initial temperature and the measured current (I); comparing the determined actual temperature gradient of the battery cell (22, 24) with a pre-defined desired temperature gradient; and automatically adjusting the current (I) flowing into or out of the battery cell (22, 24) according to a result of the comparison.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for controlling a temperature of a battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ) in a battery module ( 20 ), the method comprising the steps of:
 determining an initial temperature of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ); 
 measuring a current (I) flowing into or out of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ); 
 determining an actual temperature gradient of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ) using a thermal battery cell model described by a differential equation, for which input values comprise at least the determined initial temperature and the measured current (I), wherein the thermal battery cell model further comprises mechanical information from which a thermal stress resistance of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ) or the battery module ( 20 ) in connection with an actual temperature gradient is derived; 
 comparing the determined actual temperature gradient of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ) with a pre-defined desired temperature gradient; 
 automatically adjusting the current (I) flowing into or out of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ) according to a result of the comparison; and 
 using a predefined admissible deformation in order to ensure that the corresponding admissible thermal stress is not exceeded. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the initial temperature is determined by means of a temperature sensor ( 34 ) in the battery module ( 20 ) at a pre-defined point in time or under a predefined condition. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining from the measured current (I), whether the battery cell is in an idle state; 
 measuring the amount of time for which the battery cell remains in the idle state; and 
 determining, after a pre-defined amount of time has passed with the battery cell remaining in the idle state, that the battery cell has reached the point in time or the pre-defined condition to allow measuring the initial temperature for each of the battery cells. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the actual temperature gradient for each of the battery cells ( 22 ,  24 ) is within a predefined range. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermal battery cell model comprises:
 surface areas for the different sides of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ); or 
 heat transfer coefficients for the surfaces of the different sides of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ); 
 
       or
 a mass and a specific heat capacity of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ) 
 
       as fixed input values for the differential equation of the thermal battery cell model. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 measuring by means of a temperature sensor ( 34 ) in the battery module ( 10 ) a battery module temperature; or 
 measuring by means of an external temperature sensor ( 46 ) an ambient temperature around the battery module ( 20 ) as variable input values for the differential equation of the thermal battery cell model. 
 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining a charging-/discharging mode of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ); and 
 determining the pre-defined desired temperature gradient during the determined charging-/discharging mode. 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing of data sets for sequences of charging-/discharging modes or corresponding pre-defined desired temperatures or corresponding pre-defined desired durations, for which a certain stored temperature value is to be maintained in the corresponding charging-/discharging mode. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining a stored sequence of charging-/discharging modes and corresponding sets of pre-defined desired temperatures and pre-defined desired durations; 
 determining whether an actual temperature gradient of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ) keeps a pre-defined desired temperature gradient for a first charging-/discharging mode of the determined sequence of charging-/discharging modes for an actual time period longer than the corresponding pre-defined duration; and 
 automatically proceeding to the next charging-/discharging mode of the determined sequence of charging-/discharging modes, if the actual time period is longer than the pre-defined duration. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 6  further comprising:
 adjusting the measured battery module temperature to be used with the thermal battery cell model by a weight factor depending on the measured current (I) flowing into or out of the battery cell. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that the actual temperature gradient for each of the battery cells ( 22 ,  24 ) is equal to the pre-defined desired temperature gradient. 
 
     
     
       12. A temperature controlling device of a battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ) in a battery module ( 20 ), wherein the device comprises:
 a memory device ( 50 ) for storing a pre-defined thermal battery cell model defined by a differential equation, and fixed input values of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ) for the thermal battery cell model, wherein the thermal battery cell model further comprises mechanical information from which a thermal stress resistance of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ) or the battery module ( 20 ) in connection with an actual temperature gradient is derived; 
 a sensor unit ( 60 ) for determining variable input values for the thermal battery cell model; and 
 a control unit ( 70 ), wherein 
 the sensor unit ( 60 ) is configured to at least measure a current (I) flowing into or out of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ) 
 the control unit ( 70 ) is configured 
 to determine an actual temperature gradient of the battery cell using the stored thermal battery cell model, 
 to compare the determined temperature gradient with a pre-defined desired temperature gradient, 
 to automatically adjust a current (I) flowing into or out of the battery cell ( 22 ,  24 ) based on this comparison result, and 
 to use a predefined admissible deformation in order to ensure that the corresponding admissible thermal stress is not exceeded.